Players will be able to choose from all 27 Overwatch heroes released to date, and will not be excluded from any of the 18 maps currently in-game. Quick-play, Custom and Arcade modes will all be available, with only Competitive ladder explicitly cordoned off (as was the case with previous free weekends).

If you choose to buy the game all progression, including any loot you acquire, will roll over rather than disappear into the ether. Currently Overwatch is available from the Battle.net store priced from £29.99, but don't be surprised if there are some reductions when the Anniversary events get under-way.

The free weekend begins at 7pm BST on Friday May 25th.

Global free weekend local deployment times

Already an established player? Check out what Blizzard have in store for you in the latest Developer Update.

FAQ

Q. In what regions is the Free Weekend available? A. The Free Weekend will be offered in all regions on PlayStation 4 and Xbox One. On PC, it will only be available in our Americas, Europe, and Asia gameplay regions—excluding Korea. For more information on which countries are associated with each of our Blizzard gameplay regions, click here.

Q. What game content will be available during the Free Weekend? A. During the Free Weekend, players will have access to Overwatch's full roster of heroes, maps, and a selection of features—including Quick Play, Custom Games, the Arcade, and Loot Boxes.

Q. How many heroes are available in Overwatch? A. There are 27 heroes available to play in Overwatch! To learn more about these heroes, click here.

Q. How many maps are available in Overwatch? A. There 18 different maps available in Overwatch, each with different goals and objectives:

Q. How many players does each mode support?A. Quick Play maps supports 12 players in a 6v6 format. The Arcade features alternate games modes and maps that support players in a 1v1, 3v3, 6v6, and free-for-all formats.

Q. What different play modes are available in Overwatch during the Free Weekend?A. There are a variety of ways to play Overwatch during the Free Weekend!

Quick Play: Jump into a game against other players of similar skill. Play vs. AI: Hone your skills against a team of AI-controlled heroes. Custom Game: Customize the rules and play a game with your friends or AI. The Arcade: Change things up with alternate games modes featuring different rules sets and restrictions.

Players can also learn the ropes in a series of training modes: Tutorial, Practice Range, and Practice vs. AI.

Q. Will my progress from the Free Weekend carry over if I purchase Overwatch later? A. Yes. Any progression you earn, including levels as well as skins and other items you get from Loot Boxes, will carry over to the full game if you purchase Overwatch® Legendary Edition on Xbox One or PlayStation 4 or any version of Overwatch on PC—just be sure you purchase the game on the same account you played on during this free weekend.

Your stats will also be retained. (Trophies and achievements, however, have been disabled for the Free Weekend.)

Q. Will PC and console gamers be able to play together during the Free Weekend? A: No, cross-platform play is not available in Overwatch.

Q. Will there be any sort of maintenance planned during the Free Weekend?A. There's no downtime or maintenance currently planned for the Free Weekend. If this plan changes at any point, we'll be sure to provide information about major service interruptions in the official forums. For additional status updates, be sure to follow @PlayOverwatch on Twitter.